A few months ago, I watched this movie called The Little Prince with my siblings. To be honest, I wasn't expecting much. Every once in a while, my mom brings home a movie and has us watch it. And they're always pretty good movies, but with this one I was completely awestruck. Amazed. Speechless. (And if you know me in person, you know that last one isn't an easy feat.)
This movie has the appearance of being a little kid's movie. And yes, it could be. My little sisters watched it and loved it. But it's a movie that I think is made for this very adult world we live in.
You watch it in two stories at once, two ideas being played out. The animation is different for each story. The first story is of a little girl living with her micromanaging mother. She and her mother move to a new, bland, ordered neighborhood that reflects the little girl's own bland, ordered life. The mother has the girl's whole life planned, down to the very minute. She has a huge chart to check off each daily accomplishment, and everything adds up to this little girl becoming a very successful "grown up".
Then the little girl meets her neighbor. Her neighbor is an Old Man who lives in a mismatched house with his slightly mismatched mind. Or at least, that's what it looks like at first. In an act of curiosity, the little girl sneaks over to see the Old Man's world.
The immediate difference slaps you in the face. You watch as the little girl leaves her world of evenly cut grass and a polished, gray house to this colorful, bright, lively backyard with birds and overgrown bushes and a broken-down plane. She and the Old Man become friends and she helps him with his plane while he tells her the story of the Little Prince.
"Once there was a little prince who lived on a planet scarcely bigger than himself and who had a need for a friend."
The second story slides into the Old Man's past. He was an aviator who crashed in the desert and met the Little Prince.
The Little Prince's story appears strange at first. He flies from one planet (or asteroid, really) to another by clinging to a flock of passing birds, in search of a friend. He meets the inhabitants of these planets, who are all self-involved, bizarre people. One spends his time tallying up the stars, never really seeing how beautiful they are. One believes he is king of the universe, though he doesn't even have anyone on his own planet to rule. One spends his time seeking applause from an empty audience.
"I know a planet where there is a certain red-faced gentleman. He has never smelled a flower. He has never looked at a star. He has never done anything in his life but add up figures. And all day he says over and over, 'I am busy with matters of consequence!'"
The Little Prince's world is odd. There are the subtle, meaningful metaphors placed throughout it. There is the peculiar, yet beautiful wisdom of this Little Prince. There is the love between him and his Rose.
"The shame was that they loved each other. But they were both too young to know how to love."
One of the biggest themes in this story is the idea of growing up. Unlike most movies with this theme, it does not portray the adults to be the "bad guys". The mother loves the little girl; this is clearly shown. It simply shows the audience that growing up isn't a bad thing, although one should not forget their child-like curiosity of the world. You should not become like the man who spends his time counting up the stars--instead, see how beautiful they are. You should not become like the self-centered "king of the universe"--instead, observe the world around you. You should not become like the man who seeks applause and approval from everyone--instead, find the beauty in yourself.
You should not become like the mother who loved her daughter so much she hurt them both.
Instead, love her enough to let go a little.
The Little Prince ends up deciding that grown-ups are "very, very odd." He comes into the desert and shares his story and his wisdom with the Aviator.
"Growing up isn't the problem, forgetting is."
Just everything about this movie is so wonderfully done. The themes of love, wonder, growing up, and not getting lost in this adult world are portrayed in a simple, honest, sweet way. We see in the absurdity of the Little Prince's story the attractiveness of it. In his world, one can travel via birds. Roses can love. A little boy can have more wisdom than a grown man. And I think this is why people are so drawn to this story.
"It is only with the heart that one sees rightly. What is essential is invisible to the eye."
This story is unique. I've never read the play by Antoine de Saint-Exupery, but I think it's kind of hard to find in English...? I would like to read it someday though.
This movie is so beyond words. The wise sayings of the Little Prince. All the hidden meanings and subtle metaphors. Just... everything. Go watch this movie.
Age recommendation? Basically all ages. Seriously, if you are a human person with a heart and a soul then you have to watch this movie.
I highly recommend this movie if you're interested in simple, beautiful movies that fill you with a sense of wonder.
